Revamped Barstools

Once upon a time, we had gray metal barstools with black cushions. They were fine - safe and neutral - but I needed some pizzazz!

So, out to the deck for a fresh coat of copper spray paint they went!

I had some green fabric which I thought would provide a nice pop with the copper....

and the spare stool got a burst of turquoise

but I just didn't love them.

I decided to try something new for me - white paint!

So, back out to the deck they went.

On an impulse I grabbed a dress on clearance at Ross, loving the color and pattern. I used the front panel for one stool, the back for the other.

The fabric isn't extremely durable and won't last forever, but it was an extremely bargain-friendly solution, and I love the look! They provide just enough visual interest and give a crisp, clean accent next to the off-white island cabinets. Success! :)

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Kitchen Additions: Pot Rack, Lantern, Knobs and SUZANI!

I'm so excited about several new additions to our kitchen! They each add tons of character, charm and warmth.

Sneak peak of the suzani, just because I love it so much. More on that in just a minute. :)

Before I replaced the knobs, they were standard-issue brushed silver. They do the job, but are not much to look at - and what fun is that?? This set of cabinets is set apart from the rest of the kitchen, so it works to have different knobs on these, and find replacements for the remaining (17 or so) at a later date.

before

and after!

and the new adorable drawer pull on the bottom

The top four (two shown) knobs were treasures I rescued from a pile of goodies at Building REsources at 25 cents each! There's not much I love more than digging through a dirty pile of potential treasures and finding the hidden jewels. :) Beautiful drawer pull is from Anthropologie's clearance section, for $2.95.

And onto the ceiling makeover.... we first removed the light fixture which came with the house (identical to the one in the dining room which was replaced with the Moroccan lantern). We decided we didn't actually need another light fixture in its place, since the recessed lighting and natural light are sufficient in the space. Instead we hung a glass candle lantern, which was also an Anthropologie clearance special - score! I LOVE the touch of whimsy it adds.

Next up: pot rack!

The pot rack is an eBay find. Originally, I was looking for a wooden rack of some kind to hang my collection of glass lanterns from. The plan was to hang it over the dining room table, and have an ever-changing display of lanterns. I changed my mind for various reasons, but still really liked the rustic charm of this pot rack and decided to use it for its intended purpose.

hubby putting dishes away :)

here you can (sort of) see the chains, which are attached to hooks in the ceiling

Supplies: bulk chain and hooks. I just measured how far I wanted the lantern to hang from the ceiling, headed to Lowe's and had pieces of bulk chain cut.

We ended up hanging it pretty much above the stove top, rather than the middle of the island like I had hoped, due to the location of the ceiling beams. Sometimes, safety over aesthetics... but only when the finished product still looks so GREAT! I think this makes our kitchen area so much cozier feeling. I am still on the lookout for some copper pots/pans for my collection, so please let me know if you know of any affordable sources!

And finally -- the suzani!! I can't and won't contain my excitement over this beautiful item. :) I must have looked at hundreds of different suzanis while researching various projects, and this is the first time I found the right one, for the right price, etc... so needless to say am VERY excited about it. Another eBay find. Isn't it beautiful? The photos actually don't completely do the colors justice, so I'll try to get a better shot soon. But I sure do love it - ahhhhh......

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